When is the best time to shop?
We all shop for groceries one way or another, so let’s talk about ways to save while doing that. According to people who shop a lot, the best time to visit a grocery store is Wednesday mornings, an hour after the stores open. You will find fresh produce, no lines, and will be the first to take advantage of weekly deals that start on that day.
If you are at work on Wednesday morning, go shopping on Saturday morning, but avoid Sunday. Once you know when to head to your favorite store, you should ask yourself if there are other tips and hacks for more savings. And yes, there are!
To help you out, we looked for the best ways to shop at 6 most popular national grocery chains and would like to give you some very useful advice how to maximize your savings and enjoy shopping. We also included one best item to buy at each of those stores. So let’s take a look at:
- Costco
- Whole foods
- Kroger
- Trader Joe’s
- Target
- Walmart
Costco
It costs money to become a Costco member, but if you have plans to really shop there, the initial fee pays off very quickly. You will save not only money, but time while buying in bulk, and will also enjoy some special perks.
Costco is a wholesale retailer, so make sure you buy only those items that your family can use up without wasting. If you are not shopping for a restaurant, some bulk purchases just don’t make sense. Take ground spices, for example – while they don’t go bad, they do become stale and lose their potency in as little as 6 months, so stay away from that gallon of cumin seeds or cinnamon. Do think very hard before buying coffee, condiments, baking powder, and flour. You will be better off buying all of these in smaller quantities somewhere else.
Now let’s look at items you should absolutely buy at Costco in bulk. All the items that you can freeze are great: organic chicken, nuts, frozen fruit, bread rolls, bacon, butter, and maple syrup. Yes, you can freeze maple syrup and nuts. If you look at per ounce price, they all will be a lot cheaper than at the other grocery stores.
- $10 OFF Grocery Orders of $50
- Free 2-Day Delivery on Orders Over $75
- 50% OFF with Member Benefits
What is the best product to buy at Costco?
Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil $16.99/2 liters
This oil always passes all taste tests, is 100% authentic Italian, and is loved by many famous and less famous chefs.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods is no longer synonymous with “Whole Paycheck”, especially when you know how to get a deal. One of the easiest ways to get a discount is shop by case. If you have a favorite yogurt, kefir, kombucha, or anything else, buy a case of that and you will get 10% off. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to mix flavors.
What should you always buy there?
The best buy at Whole Foods are foods form the bulk bins. If you are just trying a new recipe, you might not want to commit to the entire bag of grain that you will never use again, but at bulk bins you can get just enough and not have any leftovers.
Kroger
Kroger is the largest supermarket chain in the country, operating 2,800 stores in 35 states under different names.
One of the best deals at Kroger is 10 for $10, meaning that you will get 10 items for just $1. If you don’t need all 10 items, but still want to get the $1 deal, just get what you need, use your shopper’s card, and Kroger will honor it.
What should you always buy at Kroger?
You will never miss with seasoned seafood from their “Easy for You” campaign. Kroger will season an oven-ready fish, shrimp, crab, or oysters that you pick with 12 different seasonings and 4 garnishes of your choice. Finally, they will put your fish in an oven-ready bag with directions, so all you’ll have to do is put it in the oven at home, cook a side of veggies, and healthy dinner will be ready in minutes.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s in known as a specialty grocery store with healthier options, inexpensive produce, and cheap wine. That, however, is not all. The way the store keeps prices low is by buying directly from the suppliers and forgoing brands and middlemen that other bigger stores depend on. Keeping over 80% off products sold in their own private-label benefits the retailer and us, the customer. Buying everyday essentials from TJ’s brand can bring us significant savings. Shopping at Trader Joe’s you will have access to a lot more private-label items than in any other grocery store and you won’t have to sacrifice quality in order to save.
What is the best buy at Trader Joe’s?
TJ’s Teeny Tiny Avocados are definitely rated as one of the best finds by customers and for a good reason. With their small size and big taste, you will never have to waste them the way we often waste big ones, when we use only ½ and the rest of it rots away forgotten in the fridge.
Target
Many of us shop at Target so often that it only makes sense to get our groceries there too. To save some extra money there you should use Target app and take advantage of Cartwheel savings. When you add items to your list, you will see savings on similar items currently available or discounts will be offered in the future on stuff that you buy often.
- $5 OFF Orders of $30
- Free Shipping on Orders Over $35
What is the best buy at Target?
Target variety packs are combinations of edible items that are negotiated with the merchant and packed in way that’s unique to Target only. Such boxed packs are great deals too with bulk pricing.
Walmart
Walmart is our bargain retailer, but besides cheap prices there are more ways to save.
Especially with their “overage “policy. This means that if you have a manufacturer’s coupon that exceeds the value of the item sold, you will get if for free and the left over difference will be applied towards your total purchase amount.
- $10 OFF Grocery Orders of $50
- Free Delivery on Grocery Order
- 80% OFF Grocery Rollbacks
What is best value buy at Walmart?
It’s definitely the Great Value Spaghetti ($3.63)
While Barilla pasta is good, Walmart’s Great Value is the second best. This pasta offers the same great taste and a better price, which becomes extremely important if you have a big family. The pasta is packaged in convenient three-pound boxes, meaning that you will have one purchase last longer, for less.